Shavon Shields is the first Husker since 2009 to earn conference freshman-of-the-week honors.

Photo by Scott Bruhn/Nebraska Communications

Shields Earns Big Ten Honor

By NU Athletic Communications

| 01/21/2013

Nebraska freshman Shavon Shields was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week on Monday after setting a pair of career highs last week. The freshman from Olathe, Kan., averaged 23.5 points on 72 percent shooting, 7.0 rebounds and 2.0 steals per game in helping the Huskers to a 1-1 week. Shields led the Huskers in scoring and rebounding in both games last week.

Shields led Nebraska to a 68-64 win at Penn State with a career-high 29 points on 10-of-11 shooting and added six rebounds and a career-high three steals. His 29 points at PSU was one shy of Nebraska's freshman scoring record and the most points scored by a Husker this season. He also totaled a then-career high 18 points and eight rebounds against Purdue on Wednesday.

Shields is the first Husker freshman to earn Big Ten Freshman of the Week and the first NU rookie honored by the conference since Toney McCray during the 2008-09 season.

The Huskers begin a two-game homestand Tuesday night, as they host Illinois at the Devaney Center. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m. and tickets are available by visiting Huskers.com or calling 800-8-BIGRED.